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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883087">Breaking the Ice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/XFangHeartX/pseuds/XFangHeartX'>XFangHeartX</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Beast of Fairy Tail [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:21:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,519</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/XFangHeartX/pseuds/XFangHeartX</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While Natsu, Lucy, and Happy are off on a job, Haru decides to join Gray on a mission to stop a smuggling operation, but they might have bitten off more than they could chew. Takes place during Daybreak.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gray Fullbuster &amp; Original Female Character(s), Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Beast of Fairy Tail [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Rare Pair</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima</p><p>Story and OCs © Me</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  "What?! What do you mean, Natsu's not here?!"</p><p>  Mirajane looked up at Haru as she finished serving some drinks to some of the guild members, the green-haired girl standing dumbstruck as she held her backpack over her shoulder. Behind her was Blue Fang, who was eating some chunks of meat from a dog bowl.</p><p>  "He and Happy grabbed a job from the board and left," said Mirajane. "They even said they were going to take Lucy with them."</p><p>  "Well, what job was it?" asked Haru.</p><p>  "Something about a book being stolen or something," Cana replied as she took a sip from her huge wine barrel. "They sure had this weird look in their eyes, too."</p><p>  "Did they?" Haru inquired, a bit puzzled. "Maybe it was something that Lucy might like."</p><p>XXX</p><p>  "WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU TWO GOTTEN ME INTO?!!" Lucy questioned as she glared at Natsu and Happy, who had just given her the flyer that contained the job they were going on.</p><p>  "You're the only person we know who's got blonde hair!" Natsu argued.</p><p>  "Aye!" Happy agreed.</p><p>XXX</p><p>  "You're not upset about Natsu taking a job without telling you, are you?" asked Mirajane.</p><p>  "Nah, not really," Haru replied as she drew circles on the table... with a comically sullen look in her eyes. "I mean, just because we're brother and sister and I haven't seen him in a while, it doesn't mean he and I have to do everything together... right?"</p><p>  'She's obviously depressed about it!!' thought Cana, Levy, and Loke as they all watched her sulk.</p><p>  It was no lie, Haru actually was a little bit hurt. She was hoping that she, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy would get to go on a job together like they did when Haru first came back home. She always had so much fun, being with her brother, Happy, and Blue Fang, too, of course. Plus, ever since she told Lucy about how she joined the guild, she felt rather attached to her, too.</p><p>  Sensing her distress, Blue Fang whimpered as he walked up and licked Haru on the face, causing her to smile as she stroked the fur on his neck.</p><p>  "Aww, thank you, Blue Fang," she said before she gave him a kiss on the snout, which caused his tail to wag. "At least you're here with me." She then heaved a small sigh before she headed over to the request board. "Oh, well... maybe we can still find a job to do."</p><p>  With a bark of agreement, Blue Fang followed after her as they went to look at any requests that were available. As always, Nab was there, trying to pick out one... but was being rather indecisive.</p><p>  "Hi, Nab," Haru greeted, only for Nab to give a small grunt of acknowledgment. "Now... let's see here." She spotted one flyer that was ranked B. "Oh! Escort job! And the reward is 700,000 Jewel!" She then narrowed her eyes as she read the fine print. "Oh, wait... no canines: the client is allergic. Shoot!"</p><p>  Blue Fang groaned indignantly at that one.</p><p>  "Uh... oh!" Haru piped up as she spotted another. "Someone's offering 20,000 for a delivery job! ...Oh, but they have to be very careful because what they're delivering is very fragile. Well, that's out." She then sighed as she looked around, trying to find any job that looked reasonable... but then she gasped as she spotted one near the top of the board.</p><p>
  <strong>WANTED:</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>SMUGGLERS MUST BE STOPPED</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>REQUEST FROM LILAC TOWN</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>REWARD: 1 MILLION JEWEL</strong>
</p><p>  "Ooh, now we're talkin'!" Haru exclaimed as she reached for the flier... but as she did, someone else reached up at the same time, causing her to stop and see that it was Gray, who (thankfully) actually had his clothes on, this time.</p><p>  "Oh," Gray said. "Hey, Haru."</p><p>  "Oh, hi, Gray!" Haru greeted back. "Sorry, were you about to take that job? I can always find a different one."</p><p>  "Nah, you can take it," Gray replied. "I'll just pick something else."</p><p>  Haru smiled before she reached up and pulled the flier from the board to look at the contents. That's when her eyes fell on the fine print of the flier.</p><p>Notice: Must be a team of 2 wizards or more.</p><p>  Haru hummed to herself in intrigue. Normally, for jobs like this, she'd go with Natsu... but seeing as how her brother wasn't here, it seems that she would have to pick someone to come along with her.</p><p>  The question was who would she take with her?</p><p>  Not Loke. The last time he tried to talk to Haru, Natsu ended up kicking the playboy in a very unfortunate spot... while his leg was on fire, no less.</p><p>  Maybe Nab? No, he was already so indecisive as is.</p><p>  Cana? Maybe... but perhaps another day.</p><p>  That's when Haru's eyes went back to Gray, who had his hands down his pockets... and that's when her face lit up.</p><p>  "Hey, Gray?" Haru asked.</p><p>  "Huh?" Gray muttered as he looked over at her. "What's up?"</p><p>  "You wanna go on this job with me?" asked Haru. "The job requires that it be a team of two wizards or more."</p><p>  "Why me?" Gray asked. "Why not someone else?"</p><p>  "Well, why not you?" asked Haru. "I mean, you might as well, right? It could be fun!"</p><p>  "Well... I do like a good fight every now and then," Gray smirked.</p><p>  "And I'll split the reward, 50-50!" Haru added. "What do you say?"</p><p>  "500,000," Gray mused as he put a hand to his chin in thought. "That's quite a lot of cash... what the heck? I'm in."</p><p>  "Great!" Haru exclaimed as she hugged the Ice-Make Wizard, who chuckled as he pat her on the back. "I knew you'd agree!" However, as her arms made contact with Gray's bare skin, she realized something: he was shirtless.</p><p>  "AAH!!" Haru yelped, her face turning as red as a beet. "Gray, where'd your shirt go?!"</p><p>  "Huh?" Gray muttered before he looked down and gasped. "What the hell?! I just had it on a second ago!"</p><p>  Soon, everyone burst into laughter at the display while Haru began to comically rant about how and why Gray could never keep his clothes on while the latter kept apologizing over and over, and meanwhile, Mirajane couldn't help but smile at the two.</p><p>  "It's rare when those work together," she mused.</p><p>  "Yeah, let's just hope a certain Salamander doesn't find out," Cana pointed. "You know how he can be, especially when Gray is around Haru."</p><p>XXX</p><p>  "ACHOO!!" Natsu sneezed suddenly, startling Lucy and Happy.</p><p>  "Bless you," Lucy said.</p><p>  "Thanks," Natsu replied. "What the hell was that about, though?"</p><p>XXX</p><p>  "Here you go, Haru," said Mirajane as she handed Haru her bag. "Good luck!"</p><p>  "Thanks, Mira," Haru replied as she slipped it onto her shoulder.</p><p>  "Oh, and here's an extra bag," said Mirajane as she handed her a bag full of clothing.</p><p>  "Uh... Mira?" Haru asked. "Why are you giving me a bag full of Gray's clothes... oh, wait... it's Gray we're talking about, here."</p><p>  "Right," Mirajane nodded as Haru gratefully took the bag.</p><p>  "Hey, Haru!" Gray called, now wearing his shirt again. "If we're going to Lilac Town, we better do it while the sun's still up!"</p><p>  "I'm coming, Gray!" Haru answered as she gave Mirajane a quick hug goodbye, then hurried to join Gray and Blue Fang, who knelt down to allow the pair to climb on his back. "Ready to get going?"</p><p>  "Whenever you are," Gray grinned.</p><p>  "Then let's go, Blue Fang!" Haru exclaimed. "To Lilac Town!"</p><p>  Blue Fang barked before he began to run off, headed northwest while Haru and Gray hung onto his fur. As they did, Haru glanced back at Gray, who gave her a casual grin, causing her to laugh as they rode the rest of the way to Lilac Town.</p><p><em>  'It's fun going on jobs with Natsu,'</em> she thought, <em>'but... it doesn't hurt to change it up, once in a while. Besides, when was the last time I got to work with Gray?'</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Stakeout</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Haru and Gray arrive in Lilac Town where they're given a rundown on what's been going on lately. However, there may just be more to this than just meets the eye.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima</p><p>Story and OCs © Me</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  "Well, here we are!"</p><p>  "Sheesh, this is a <em>town?</em>"</p><p>  After a few hours of Blue Fang running the whole way, Haru and Gray had finally arrived in Lilac Town... which, actually, was just about as big as Magnolia. The streets were filled with bustling people and their pets, some just chatting away and others getting some last-minute shopping done before they head home. All in all, it looked like a pretty busy place.</p><p>  "It is pretty big for a town, huh, Gray?" asked Haru as she and Gray walked down the street with Blue Fang walked behind them. "We might have a little trouble finding our client, then."</p><p>  "Hmm..." Gray hummed as he looked at the flyer. "According to the flyer, the person we're looking for is someone named Morgan Grieves."</p><p>  "Umm... Gray?" asked Haru. "Your jacket."</p><p>  "Ah, crap!" Gray cursed as he realized he had taken his jacket off without knowing it, once again, but at the very least, he kept his shirt on. "I have gotta stop doing that!"</p><p>  "Where did you even learn that habit?" asked Haru. "For real!"</p><p>  Gray seemed to tense up for a moment... and briefly, he saw the smiling face of a young woman staring back at him.</p><p>  "Gray?" Haru asked as she gently shook his shoulder. "Gray? Hello?"</p><p>  "Huh?" Gray muttered as he snapped back to reality. "Oh... s-sorry, Haru."</p><p>  "You okay?" Haru inquired, concerned. "You kinda just spaced out for a second."</p><p>  "...It's nothing," Gray replied. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, we gotta meet with the client, right? Won't get that done just standing there."</p><p>  With that, he, Haru, and Blue Fang all headed down the street to look for their client. After asking around to see if anyone else knew about this "Morgan Grieves", they were eventually pointed to the richer district of town, where they found themselves standing in front of a huge, 4-story mansion with a purple roof, surrounded by a huge hedge garden with roses and decorated with fine marble statues. Gray whistled, impressed by the size of the estate while Haru stared up at the roof, mouth gaping open in awe.</p><p>  "This place is freakin' huge!" Gray exclaimed.</p><p>  "No joke!" Haru replied. "It's bigger than the guildhall back home! What do you think, Blue Fang?"</p><p>  Nearby, Blue Fang sniffed one of the statues in the garden, seeming curious about the art... that is, until he went behind it and lifted his leg.</p><p>  "Oh, wait, Blue Fang, no-" Haru started, only to cover her eyes the moment she heard a splashing sound. "O-okay, I guess that's fine..."</p><p>  "No one saw that... right?" Gray asked as he looked around for anyone on the grounds. At any rate, Haru got over her initial disgust before she grabbed one of the door handles and began to knock.</p><p>  "Hello~!" she called. "Is anyone here?"</p><p>  The door opened, revealing a petite brunette woman wearing a cute frilly maid outfit.</p><p>  "How do you do?" she asked as she bowed her head in greeting. "Welcome to the Grieves Estate. My name is Lula. How may I help you, today?"</p><p>  "We're wizards from the Fairy Tail Guild," said Gray as he held up the flyer. "We're here regarding the job about the smugglers."</p><p>  "Ah, yes, of course," Lula replied. "Please follow me. Lady Morgan is in the sitting room." That's when she noticed Blue Fang sitting behind them. "Oh... is the animal with you, as well?"</p><p>  "Oh, that's Blue Fang!" Haru replied. "Don't worry, he won't break anything or shed on the floor."</p><p>  <em>'He already peed on your statue, though...'</em> she thought, nervously. <em>'Hopefully, no one saw that.'</em></p><p>  "...Very well," Lula said, although she seemed nervous. "Please come in."</p><p>  As they entered the mansion, Haru glanced over at the petite maid as she walked alongside Gray, and she could only think of one thing.</p><p>
  <em>  'Lucy would actually look really cute in an outfit like that! Speaking of Lucy, I wonder how she and Natsu are doing...'</em>
</p><p>XXX</p><p>  "So... how do I look?" Lucy asked as she stood in the middle of a restaurant, wearing a maid outfit not too different from the one that Lula was wearing, and all the while, Natsu just sat there with his cheeks matching the same color as his hair.</p><p>  "Uh... Natsu?" asked Happy. "You okay?"</p><p>  "Uhhhhhhh..." Natsu muttered.</p><p>XXX</p><p>  Soon, Haru, Gray, and Blue Fang were all sitting in a large room surrounded by tall bookshelves, a mahogany table in the center- complete with a bowl of peppermints- and a fireplace on the west side of the room. Sitting in front of them was a red-haired woman of at least 30 years, wearing an elegant red dress and wearing a fox skin around her neck, her fingers adorned with several rings, and some diamond earrings dangling from her ears.</p><p>  "So you're Morgan Grieves?" asked Haru.</p><p>  "That I am," answered the woman. "Thank you for coming."</p><p>  "Sure thing," replied Gray. "So, what exactly are we dealing with, here?"</p><p>  "I've been hearing numerous reports about strange people wandering the streets at night," said Morgan. "I've already asked the royal army to look into this for me, but so far, they've found nothing."</p><p>  "That's strange," Haru replied. "Are they even looking in the right place?"</p><p>  "I've asked them to check the wharf down by the coast," said Morgan. "They haven't found anything there."</p><p>  "These smugglers," Gray spoke. "What exactly are they making deals in?"</p><p>  "Illegal magic items, I believe," Morgan answered. "Lately, I've been hearing about illegitimate guilds gathering weapons and the like. I hear some would pay a very high price for these things."</p><p>  "Illegal magic items, huh?" Haru muttered, worriedly. "That's not good."</p><p>  "Yeah," Gray agreed. "What if some lowlife got their hands on something like that? And even worse, what if they don't know how to control it?"</p><p>  "I'm asking that you find these smugglers and catch them in the act," asked Morgan. "Once you apprehend them and report them to the Magic Council, then you will be rewarded."</p><p>  "We're all over it!" Haru replied. "Are they are any other important details we should know?"</p><p>  "Yes, actually," said Morgan as she handed Haru a small card that held the picture of an ominous-looking spider. "I notice that some of them had this mark on their bodies."</p><p>  "Marks that look like a spider, huh?" asked Haru. "Then that's who we'll be looking for." She then stood up and headed out. "Come on, Gray. We'll check into a hotel so we can rest up for the stakeout, tonight. Let's go, Blue Fang!"</p><p>  Blue Fang barked as he and Gray both followed the Beast Wizard out.</p><p>  "Please do be careful," Morgan warned. "I hope that you'll be able to put a stop to this."</p><p>  As they left, Gray momentarily glanced back at Morgan before he walked out with Haru.</p><p>XXX</p><p>  As the sun was beginning to set beyond the rooftops of Lilac Town, Haru and Gray had checked into a hotel for the time being and even managed to convince them to let Blue Fang come in as long as he didn't make a mess or disturb anyone. They had managed to get a room that was on a higher floor, which made it easier to spot anybody suspicious at night. During this time, Haru decided to take a quick shower while Gray lounged on one of the beds while Blue Fang rested his head against his lap, prompting the Ice Wizard to smile as he stroked his head.</p><p>  "Ahh..." Haru sighed as she came out, wearing a bathrobe. "That feels so much better." She then looked over at Gray. "Okay, Gray, you can use the bath if you want- AAH!!"</p><p>  "What?" Gray asked as he sat up.</p><p>  "Gray, you're in your underwear!!" Haru shouted, and sure enough, Gray had once again stripped down to his skivvies.</p><p>  "AH, CRAP!" he cursed.</p><p>  "Huh," Haru muttered as she noticed the snowflake pattern. "Actually, that's pretty tasteful..."</p><p>  "WHO ASKED YOU?!" Gray questioned as he covered himself. "Just, quick, gimme the extra clothes you packed! Jeez!!"</p><p>  After a while, Gray had taken a quick shower himself before he came back out (fully dressed this time) and sat down on the bed while Haru looked out the balcony, searching for any sign of suspicious people.</p><p>  "See anyone yet, Haru?" asked Gray.</p><p>  "Nope," Haru replied, "but I'm lookin'!"</p><p>  Gray sat up on the bed, drumming his fingers on his knees in boredom while Blue Fang let out a tongue-curling yawn, sleepiness beginning to set in.</p><p>  "...Hey, Haru," Gray spoke up, causing Haru to glance back. "How about a song? You know... to pass the time."</p><p>  Haru blinked before she gave an amused smile. "Sure. Got any requests?"</p><p>  "Surprise me," Gray smirked.</p><p>  Haru giggled before she cleared her throat, warming up her voice.</p><p>  "Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi~! Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do~!"</p><p>  Soon, she began to sing a soft, melodious tune, her smooth voice flowing around the room. As she sang, several birds perched themselves on the balcony railing, chirping and tweeting sweetly while Blue Fang wagged his tail, making a pleased whine. Gray chuckled, eyes closed as he listened to the sound of Haru's sweet song. Even out on the city streets, everyone could hear the sound of the Beast Wizard's beautiful voice, some of them stopping to listen to her song.</p><p>  Eventually, Haru ended her song on a sweet low note and gave a bow to Gray, who laughed as he clapped his hands while Blue Fang barked and howled happily.</p><p>  "Brava!" Gray exclaimed.</p><p>  "Thank you, thank you!" Haru replied before she started to laugh. "Ahh... that was fun."</p><p>  "Yep," Gray replied. "No better way to pass the time than with a song."</p><p>  "Shall I sing another?" Haru asked.</p><p>  "Nah, maybe you should save your voice," Gray said. "We might need it, just in case."</p><p>  "Yeah, you're probably right about that," said Haru as she glanced over the balcony, where she saw the people roaming the streets down below... but then, she spotted one particular figure making their way through the streets. She couldn't quite make out what their face looked like, but she did find one distinguishing mark on the back of the person's cloak: a large spider.</p><p>  <em>'Could it be...?'</em> Haru thought as her expression turned serious.</p><p>  "Hey, Gray, get over here," Haru called, prompting the Ice Wizard to stand up and walk over to her side and look down at the streets, where he spotted the hooded figure.</p><p>  "Well, well," Gray said. "Looks like we just found one of our smugglers." He then turned to Haru, who smirked. "You ready for this?"</p><p>  "Let's do it," Hary replied as she went to change out of her bathrobe and put her regular clothes back on, and soon, she, Gray, and Blue Fang were all outside and began to follow after the mysterious figure. However, they made sure to keep a safe distance away from them so as not to be spotted. As the stranger began to squeeze through the narrow back alleys, Blue Fang found himself unable to follow, due to his size.</p><p>  "Uh-oh," Haru whispered.</p><p>  "Dammit, we're gonna lose the guy," Gray cursed.</p><p>  "Blue Fang, stay," Haru ordered, gently. "I'll call you if we need help, okay?"</p><p>  Giving a reluctant whimper, Blue Fang obeyed as he sat down while Gray and Haru made their way through the alleys, being careful not to step on any broken glass bottles or bump into anything that could crash. Eventually, they made it out to the other side, but their target was nowhere to be found.</p><p>  "Where'd he go?" Gray asked as he looked around, and that's when Haru looked down and noticed a loose grate on the ground.</p><p>  "Hey, Gray, look!" Haru called before she tried to pick up the grate, although she grunted a bit at the effort.</p><p>  "Here, lemme help," Gray said as he took the grate's other side and pulled it away from its opening. "There we go." He then covered his nose at the grotesque smell. "Ugh... man, that stinks."</p><p>  "Hey, it's not as bad as Natsu's morning breath," Haru quipped, causing Gray to chuckle before they climbed down into the sewers, their feet splashing in the murky water. "Guh... and these were my favorite sandals."</p><p>  "I'll buy you another pair," Gray said as he looked around. "Now... where's our guy gone?"</p><p>  "Hmm..." Haru hummed in contemplation as she looked down the tunnel. "Well, there's only one way to go and that's this way." With that, she and Gray soon waded through the sewer water, being careful not to step in anything. However, with all the turns they made, it was nearly impossible to tell if they were going the right way.</p><p>  "I think the trail just went cold," said Haru.</p><p>  "Damn," Gray cursed. "This place is a maze. How do we even know where we're going?"</p><p>  "This would be so much easier if Blue Fang were here," Haru said, "but I don't wanna knock him out. If the smell is bad to us, it'll be torture for him."</p><p>  As they walked, a low growl suddenly reverberated through the tunnel, causing them both to freeze in their tracks.</p><p>  "Uh... Gray?" Haru asked, nervously. "Was that your stomach?"</p><p>  "Uh... no," Gray replied, just as nervous.</p><p>  "...Crap," Haru cursed as the two wizards slowly turned around... and saw a huge black panther, towering over them as it glowered down at them, wearing a collar around its neck that held the same spider emblem. The beast growled at them, hungrily licking its chops at the prospect of an easy meal.</p><p>  "It's no problem," Gray smirked. "Haru! Do your stuff!"</p><p>  "Got it!" Haru grinned. "Beast Siren: Calm!" She then sang a high note, just like she did before... but after 5 seconds of holding that note, the feline seemed to tilt its head in confusion before it growled again.</p><p>  "Uh... Haru?" Gray asked. "This cat's not calming down!"</p><p>  "Let me try again!" Haru exclaimed before she sang the same spell... but once again, it had no effect. In fact, it seemed to make the giant panther angrier... and that's when Haru's eyes went wide in comical dread. "Uh... Gray? I think we have a problem."</p><p>  "What's wrong?" Gray asked.</p><p>  "This thing is tone-deaf," Haru replied, nervously.</p><p>  "What do you mean, 'tone-deaf'?" Gray asked, growing even more worried.</p><p>  "It means it can't hear my songs," Haru answered as she began to take a step back.</p><p>  "...So... we're screwed, then," Gray realized.</p><p>  "Yep," Haru replied.</p><p>  "Ah," Gray nodded. "So... what now?"</p><p>  "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!" Haru screamed, and with that, she and Gray turned and bolted, and the panther roared as it chased after them, its footfalls thudding against the sewer floors. As they ran, they narrowly avoided getting chomped by the beast's huge jaws or a swipe from its massive paws, which ended up hitting the walls behind them.</p><p>  "You still think we should have left Blue Fang behind?!" asked Gray.</p><p>  "I'm sorry!" Haru cried as she kept running. "But listen! We can't run from this guy forever! We gotta find a way to escape!"</p><p>  "Wait! I got it!" Gray exclaimed as he turned to face the panther while holding his hands together. "Ice-Make: FLOOR!!"</p><p>  Slamming his hands to the ground, Gray soon froze the water solid, just as the panther lunged for him and Haru, who both jumped out of the way just in time as it ended up slipping on the newly formed ice, causing it to let out a panicked yowl before it crashed into the wall!</p><p>  "Hah... hah... hah..." Gray and Haru both panted as they lied on the ground, trying to catch their breath.</p><p>  "Well... that was a close one," Haru said as Gray pulled her to her feet. "Nice thinking, man."</p><p>  "Thanks," Gray nodded before he looked over at the unconscious panther and noticed its collar. "Well, it's safe to say this thing works for our smugglers."</p><p>  "That must mean we're close to wherever they are," said Haru. "They must have sent this panther down here as a guard dog... err... guard cat...? Oh, you know what I mean."</p><p>  "Hey, did you hear something?"</p><p>  "Yeah, it came from that way."</p><p>  "Oh, crap...!" Gray cursed. "Quick, hide!"</p><p>  "Hide where?!" Haru asked. "We're in a sewer!"</p><p>  "Just hide, will ya?!" Gray questioned as he and Haru quickly hid behind the wall, just as two people, a man and a woman of average height, entered the scene, both of them wearing black cloaks that bore the spider mark.</p><p>  "See anything?" asked the woman.</p><p>  "Just Bartholomew," answered her partner as he poked the giant panther. "He's out cold, though. Stupid cat. The boss isn't gonna like this."</p><p>  "Where the hell did this ice come from?" asked the female as she looked down at the icy floor that Gray made... but while her back was turned, she was suddenly grabbed from behind and her mouth was covered before she could even shriek.</p><p>  "Garnet?" asked the man as he turned around, but he was quickly grabbed, too, and the sound of punches landing soon filled the air. After a few seconds, the two mysterious smugglers were down on the floor, bruised, battered... and stripped down to their underwear.</p><p>  "Hope you don't mind if we borrow your outfits," said Gray as he put on the cloak and the outfit beneath it.</p><p>  "Ugh... black is so not my color," Haru muttered as she adjusted her hood, "but beggars can't be choosers."</p><p>  "Hey, you two!"</p><p>  The two turned to see another pair of mooks appear as they walked up to them.</p><p>  "You find anything down here?" asked one of them. "We thought the boss's pet was making a ruckus, again."</p><p>  "Two intruders," Gray answered, trying to make his voice sound a little deeper, "but we took care of them."</p><p>  "Good," said the other smuggler. "Say... did something happen to your voice?"</p><p>  "Uh... no," Gray replied, sweating a bit at the thought of being found out. "It's always been this way."</p><p>  The two smugglers glanced at each other before they shrugged, causing Haru and Gray to sigh in relief.</p><p>  "Anyway, let's head back," he said. "The boss is waiting."</p><p>  "Of course," Haru nodded.</p><p>  <em>'Man, and I thought Natsu was an idiot,'</em> thought Gray.</p><p>  Nonetheless, the two of them followed the two smugglers out of the sewers, heading up a ladder to the outside.</p><p>  "Ugh..." Haru groaned. "At least now, we can breathe a little easier."</p><p>  "Tell me about it," Gray muttered as they found themselves standing outside the grate, where they found themselves standing in front of a gigantic clock tower that sat at the northern edge of town.</p><p>  "I think we're about to meet the ringleader behind all this," Haru whispered.</p><p>  "Keep your wits about you, Haru," Gray replied. "I think we're about to have a real fight."</p><p>  "Wouldn't have it any other way," Haru said as they soon headed inside the clock tower, a confident grin appearing on her face akin to the one her brother would have. "As Natsu would say, 'I'm fired up'."</p><p>  "Please, don't copy him..." Gray deadpanned.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Confrontation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Haru and Gray find themselves in a dangerous trap... laid by the very person who hired them!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima</p><p>Story and OCs © Me</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Haru and Gray found themselves standing in the middle of the old, run-down clock tower among the many people with the mark of the spiders printed on the backs of their cloaks. They were seen hauling around a bunch of crates and even some suitcases, here and there. As Gray took a quick look inside one of them, he soon found several magic rings and even some Lacrima orbs.</p><p>  "No doubt about it," said Gray. "We found the smuggler's nest."</p><p>  "I can see why they'd put their base of operations here," said Haru. "It's a little ways out of town."</p><p>  "Yeah, and who'd ever come way out here?" asked Gray.</p><p>  "Now we just have to catch these guys in the act," said Haru. "Where was the one we were tracking, anyway?"</p><p>  "Must be around here, somewhere," replied Gray.</p><p>  "Hey, be careful with that shipment!!"</p><p>  Both Fairy Tail wizards looked up to see several men trying to carry a very large crate... with one of them yelling at the group, and the figure was a bit shorter and more petite than the others, not to mention the soprano of the person's voice made them sound a bit feminine.</p><p>  "That's going to get us top Jewel, you know!" she shouted. "If something happens to that, we're done for!!"</p><p>  "Y-yes, boss," said one of the smugglers, nervously. "Sorry, boss."</p><p>  "Just don't let it happen again," the ringleader scolded before she pulled off her hood, and the moment she did, both Gray and Haru froze in shock and disbelief.</p><p>  She had her hair tied back in a ponytail and it looked a bit messier than before... but it was no doubt about it: it was their client, Morgan Grieves!</p><p>  "What the hell is going on here...?!" Gray whispered. "The one who hired us is actually in charge of the smugglers?!"</p><p>  "Talk about a twist!" Haru added, her voice still hushed while Morgan went over to a nearby crate and opened it up... and when she did, a dark chuckle escaped her lips.</p><p>  "This is perfect," she said as she reached inside and pulled out... a huge bronze-colored bazooka with a Lacrima attached to the top. "I think I might keep this one."</p><p>  "But boss," said one of the smugglers, "you said it yourself, it's not tested yet."</p><p>  "Exactly," replied Morgan as she held the weapon atop her shoulder and looked through the crosshairs. "Which is what I hope to do tonight. With this, no wizard will be able to stop me." She then glared off to her right as a wicked grin appeared on her face. "Isn't that right... you Fairy Tail flies?!" She then pointed the firearm at Gray and Haru, both gasped as she pulled the trigger.</p><p>  "LOOK OUT!!" Gray shouted as he pushed Haru to the floor, just as this huge blast of magic energy came shooting out of the bazooka that ended up creating a huge hole in the wall.</p><p>  "HAHAHAHA!!!" laughed Morgan, maniacally. "Did you see that?!"</p><p>  "Easy, boss!" cried one of the smugglers. "You're gonna destroy our only hideout!!"</p><p>  "Ah, we can always get a new one," said Morgan, nonchalantly.</p><p>  "So all along, you knew we were following you?!" asked Haru as she and Gray stood up.</p><p>  "Of course, I knew!" Morgan replied. "All so I could lead you into my little trap! You see, I don't just smuggle illegal magic items... I also test them out on other wizards, just to see if they're really worth as much as I sell them. Hell, sometimes, the ones I really like I actually keep to myself." She then licked her lips in a sick manner. "Do you know how many wizards I've baited and killed with that whole 1 million Jewel reward? A whole mess of them!"</p><p>  "Looks like there's no point in hiding, anymore," Gray said as he pulled off his disguise. "You ready for this, Haru?"</p><p>  "Ready!" Haru answered as she pulled her disguises off as well... but as she looked over at Gray, she shrieked. "GRAY, YOU'RE IN YOUR UNDERWEAR AGAIN!!"</p><p>  "What?!" Gray questioned as he looked down. "How'd that happen?!!"</p><p>  "Shoot them!!" shouted Morgan, and before either Gray or Haru knew it, they were surrounded by the smugglers, all of them shooting their guns at them.</p><p>  "Crap!!" Gray cursed as he raised both his hands. "Ice-Make: SHIELD!!"</p><p>  Soon, a giant shield made out of thick ice emerged, the bullets deflecting off its surface while both Gray and Haru took cover.</p><p>  "That was close!" Haru said.</p><p>  "These guys sure don't mess around!" Gray added as he put his clothes back on, once again. "You got a plan, Haru?"</p><p>  "Yeah," Haru replied. "Take down as many as we can, then take out the boss!"</p><p>  "Works for me," Gray replied before he and Haru darted out from behind the shield, the former throwing his hands down onto the floor. "Ice-Make: FLOOR!!"</p><p>  As the floor froze, some of the smugglers ended up slipping and sliding around before they fell flat on their faces, and meanwhile, Haru grabbed one of the thugs and threw him into three more of his comrades, then dodged a gunshot from one of their rifles. That's when she grabbed an old chain, swung it over a rafter, then, as she ran along the wall, she coiled the chain around the ankle of one of the smugglers, then grabbed the other hand and hooked it to a large crate that was stacked upon other crates. With a sly smirk, the Beast Wizard pushed the crate off the top, causing it to hoist the smuggler high into the air!</p><p>  "WHOA!!" he cried while some of the other members attempted to shoot Haru, but their vision was blocked as the one that Haru hung in the air ended up swinging around in front of them. "STOP! DON'T SHOOT!!"</p><p>  As they were distracted, they didn't see Haru rush up and jump up into the air to perform a roundhouse kick, knocking them off their feet. As for Gray, he punched out a few more of the smugglers, then turned around just as several more came running toward him. He smirked before he put both his hands together, then raised them into the air as a giant mallet formed in his palms.</p><p>  "Ice-Make: HAMMER!!"</p><p>  With a powerful swing, Gray slammed the thugs into the wall behind them, causing several large crates to collapse on top of them.</p><p>  "Hey! Our merchandise!!" shouted Morgan in irritation.</p><p>  "Is that all you punks got?!" Gray asked, but then he yelped as he dodged another magic blast from Morgan's bazooka while Haru scrambled to dodge several gunshots before she took cover behind a giant rusty cog.</p><p>  "If only I had Blue Fang here!" she exclaimed before she gasped. "Wait, that's it!" She closed her eyes as a teal magic circle appeared beneath her. "Beast Siren: Call!" Soon, she began to sing a melodious tune, rising and falling in notes before she stopped. This, however, caused the smugglers to laugh.</p><p>  "What were you trying to do?!" asked one of them. "Hold a concert?!"</p><p>  "Nope," Haru grinned. "Just calling a friend."</p><p>  "Huh?" the smugglers asked... before something crashed right through the wall behind them and tackled them all down to the floor, revealing it to be Blue Fang, who growled in their faces with fangs bared. With a ferocious bark, he soon tore into the thugs, throwing them around like ragdolls and biting their arms and legs, their bones crunching between his jaws as he kept going at them.</p><p>  "Good boy, Blue Fang!" Haru praised. "I knew you must have been close by!"</p><p>  "That should even the odds a little!" Gray called before he turned to Morgan, who tried to fire at him with another blast from her bazooka, but he formed another Ice Shield before it could hit him, then ran out once she had finished firing.</p><p>  Morgan growled before she reached inside one of the crates, pulling out one of the Lacrima orbs inside. With a smirk, she squeezed it tightly before it cracked, causing it to flash a bright light before she rolled it toward Gray. As it did, the light began to grow brighter... and Haru gasped in horror as she realized what it was about to do.</p><p>  "GRAY, WATCH OUT!!" Haru shouted as she ran out toward the Ice Wizard, who finally noticed the Lacrima on the ground. Just as he was about to brace himself against the blast, he was shoved out of the way. That's when the Lacrima finally burst into a huge explosion, and to Gray's shock, Haru was sent flying back before she crashed into the wall behind her, which crumbled and buried her in a pile of bricks and dust.</p><p>  "HARU, NO!!!" Gray yelled in horror as he ran to go to her aid, but a maniacal laugh, followed by another blast of magic power stopped him in his tracks, and meanwhile, Blue Fang whined worriedly as he began to dig the Beast Wizard out from the rubble.</p><p>  "Aww, did your little girlfriend get hurt~?" Morgan asked, mockingly.</p><p>  "First of all, she's not my girlfriend!" Gray shouted. "Second, you're sick, lady!!"</p><p>  "Oh, don't feel too bad," said Morgan as she loaded another Lacrima into the bazooka. "You'll be joining her soon enough!"</p><p>  "I don't think so!!" Gray shouted before he threw down a whole crate of Lacrima Bombs, then held out both hands. "Ice-Make: LANCE!!"</p><p>  Soon after, several arrows of ice came shooting out of his magic circle, all of them piercing the Lacrima Bombs before they began to explode, one-by-one, taking the smugglers off guard and surrounding them in a fiery explosion, and because of the magnitude of the explosions, the clock tower began to fall apart!</p><p>  "Crap!!" Gray cursed before he ran over to where Haru was buried, just as Blue Fang managed to pull her out by the wrist, and as soon as she was freed, the Ice Wizard carefully placed her on the wolf's back, then hopped on, himself. "Come on, Blue Fang! We gotta go!!"</p><p>  With a bark, Blue Fang ran out as fast as he could, just as the clock tower finally collapsed from the damage. Once they got to a safe distance from the destruction, Gray turned to get a good look at Haru, and needless to say, he did not like what he saw. She was bleeding from her right temple and she had a large bruise on her left side, possibly indicating broken ribs.</p><p>  "Oh, man..." Gray whispered. "It's a good thing Natsu's not here. If he sees this, he'll kill me."</p><p>  Blue Fang whined worriedly as he looked at Haru, gently licking the blood from her head.</p><p>  "It'll be okay, Blue Fang," Gray reassured as he stroked the wolf's neck. "Let's just get Haru someplace safe. Let's just hope those creeps don't follow us."</p><p>  With that, Blue Fang turned and fled, heading to a safer place... but meanwhile, in the pile of rubble that was once the clock tower, Morgan groaned as she pushed an old gear off of herself.</p><p>  "Those damn Fairy Tail rats...!!" she growled.</p><p>  "Uh... w-what do we do, now, boss?" asked one of them.</p><p>  "What do you think, you idiot?!" asked Morgan. "Go find Bartholomew and bring him here! We're going to hunt those flies down and squash them like the bugs that they are! If we let them live, they'll report us to the Magic Council!! NOW MOVE!!!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Protect</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>While on their way back home from the job he took with Lucy and Happy, Natsu can't help but sense that something might be wrong. Meanwhile, Gray is in a fight for Haru's life against Morgan and her smugglers, but will it be enough?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima</p><p>Story and OCs © Me</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  "You know... this stuff actually tastes better than it looks!"</p><p>  "Aye! We told you!"</p><p>  Lucy sat in front of a small campfire that Natsu had made using his fire breath, and around said fire were several grilled critters, ranging from lizards to fish (although Happy still preferred to eat his raw), and just as Lucy said, they had actually tasted better than they looked as she sat with Natsu and Happy, enjoying their dinner. They had just completed their job of stealing the book Daybreak from Duke Everlue and had returned it to Kaby Melon... but it soon turned out that the reward was nothing but a sham since Kaby was not really a wealthy man, at all. Nonetheless, the trio left the town of Shirotsume feeling triumphant, although Lucy did lament that she had no way to pay her rent.</p><p>  "There's always tomorrow!" Natsu reassured her.</p><p>  Speaking of Natsu... while he held a grilled lizard on a stick, his eyes were staring out toward the night sky, something Lucy and Happy noticed.</p><p>  "Hey, Natsu, you okay?" Happy asked. "How come you're not eating? Aren't ya hungry?"</p><p>  "You don't feel sick or anything, do you?" asked Lucy in a slightly concerned tone.</p><p>  "Wha...?" Natsu muttered as he looked over at the cat and blonde girl. "Oh! Uh... n-nah, I'm fine. Just... had this weird feeling all of a sudden." He then took a bite out of his grilled lizard.</p><p>  "Maybe you wouldn't feel that way if you ate some raw fish, like me!" Happy exclaimed.</p><p>  "I hardly think that's why," Lucy deadpanned before she looked over at Natsu, who looked back up at the sky again while wiping his mouth, and as she polished off her own meal, she couldn't help but wonder what he might have been thinking about, but ultimately decided to just leave it be for the time being.</p><p>  <em>'It's probably nothing,'</em> she thought as she prepared to get her sleeping bag ready.</p><p>XXX</p><p>  Meanwhile, after Gray, Haru, and Blue Fang had escaped into the forest to avoid the gang of smugglers, they had found shelter in an old farmhouse, where Haru was found, lying in a bed of hay with her forehead and her torso in bandages, and as a means to shield her from the cold night air, Gray placed his jacket and shirt over her, leaving him topless. Blue Fang lied nearby, whining worriedly as he watched Haru lie there, taking short, pained breaths.</p><p>  Gray furrowed his brow as he watched Haru try to sleep, feeling his chest tighten and his heart sink into his stomach. He sighed as he gently reached over and brushed some hair out of the Beast Wizard's sleeping face before pulling it back as Haru gave a soft moan of pain.</p><p>  "Dammit, Haru," Gray whispered. "You're so reckless, just like that knuckleheaded brother of yours... why did you have to go and push me out of the way?" He groaned as he held his head, gritting his teeth in frustration. "I didn't need you to protect me...! Someone already did that for me, once... if you die here, I'll never be able to forgive myself, don't you know that?!" He then sighed as he ran a hand through his raven hair and looked down at the sleeping Haru while Blue Fang stared at him, his ears drooping as he gave a sad whimper.</p><p>  "...I'm sorry, Haru," Gray said. "I'm so sorry."</p><p>  Just then, Blue Fang's ears twitched and he raised his head up as he looked toward the outside, and soon after, he stood up with an angry growl, prompting Gray to look up at him in alarm.</p><p>  "Something wrong, boy?" he asked before he went to go and look out one of the windows, only to gasp as he saw that the whole farmhouse was surrounded by Morgan and her gang, the former sitting on top of Bartholomew the Panther, who was now sporting a large bump on his head. "Ah, crap...!"</p><p>  "Come out, come out, Fairy Tail flies," Morgan called as she held her bazooka with a toothy grin.</p><p>  Gray growled before he glanced over at Haru, who was still lying in the hay in a pained sleep while Blue Fang stood by her side, growling with his fur bristling up.</p><p><em>  'I was hoping that they wouldn't follow us,'</em> Gray thought, <em>'but there's no choice...'</em></p><p>  "Blue Fang," said Gray. "Stay here with Haru. I'll deal with these guys."</p><p>  Blue Fang nodded his head as he lied at Haru's side while Gray stepped outside, glaring at the smugglers... particularly Morgan, who smirked as she jumped down from her feline mount.</p><p>  "Well, well," she said. "Look who decided to come out and die, first."</p><p>  "I'm not dyin', tonight," Gray countered, "and if you think I'm gonna just stand by and let you try and kill Haru, you got another thing coming!"</p><p>  "Take aim, men!" Morgan called, prompting her goons to aim their guns and weapons. "This time, we'll get rid of those troublemakers for good!!"</p><p>  "Just try it!" Gray shouted as he held out his hands, causing a white magic circle to appear. "Ice-Make: SHIELD!!" </p><p>  Soon after, a large shield made of ice appeared, just as the smugglers opened fire with various magic weapons such as magic flaming bullets and energy blasts. Then he ran out while putting his hands together again, forming a giant sledgehammer. </p><p>  "Ice-Make: HAMMER!!"</p><p>  Heaving with all his might, Gray slammed the hammer into the ground, creating a powerful shockwave that sent several of the smugglers flying. Even then, though, they continued with their assault. Morgan tried to shoot Gray down with her bazooka, but the Ice Wizard soon conjured up one of his own.</p><p>  "Ice-Make: ICE CANNON!!"</p><p>  Soon, he fired cannonballs made of ice at the gang of villains, most of them being blown back by the blast. Morgan cried out as she tried to keep Bartholomew under control, but the giant cat roared and yowled in fright as he threw her off his back, then he turned and ran off into the forest.</p><p>  "Hey!" Morgan shouted. "Get back here, you dumb cat!!"</p><p>  "Looks like your little pet ran out on you," Gray said with a smirk. "What are you gonna do, now?"</p><p>  Morgan growled as she glared at the Ice Wizard... but then a smirk creased her lips as she grabbed her bazooka and took aim at Gray, who gasped as he dove to the side, avoiding the blast. However, in doing so, it ended up grazing the roof of the farmhouse, setting it ablaze, and the fire only began to grow bigger, causing Gray to gasp in alarm.</p><p>  "No! Haru!! Blue Fang!!" Gray cried while Morgan laughed.</p><p>  "Looks like your girlfriend is a goner, pretty boy!" she said, mockingly while the roof of the farmhouse began to collapse from the flames eating away at the already old and rotted wood. Inside the farmhouse, Blue Fang yelped as he looked up at the flaming rafters, then looked down at Haru's unconscious form before he hurriedly covered her body with his in the hope that he would be able to shield her from the flames, even as fiery bits of wood came falling down around them.</p><p>  "DAMN YOU!!!" Gray yelled as he conjured a saber made of ice and charged at Morgan, who smirked as she aimed her bazooka at him again.</p><p>  "You fell for it!!" she shouted before she pulled the trigger before Gray could reach her, causing him to grunt as he was hit by the blast, sending him flying back as he crashed through the wall of the burning farmhouse. By now, the whole place was shrouded in fire, and Gray could feel the heat all around him. With a gasp of alarm, he glanced over at Haru, who was being shielded from the flames by Blue Fang as the pieces of wood came falling down around the two.</p><p>  "Shit!!" Gray cursed as he ran over to them. "Ice-Make: SHIELD!!"</p><p>  Soon, he formed another shield made of ice, hoping that it would be big enough to stop the fire from spreading any closer... but by now, Gray was beginning to waver, his breath labored and sweat dripping from his brow.</p><p>  <em>'This isn't good...'</em> thought Gray. <em>'I'm running outta magic power!'</em> He then looked down at Haru, who remained unconscious, completely unaware of what was happening while Blue Fang looked up at him with golden eyes wide and scared. The Ice Wizard seethed through clenched teeth before he reached over and gripped the wolf by his neck and pulled him close as if to hug him.</p><p>  <em>'It's no use... even now... I still can't protect anybody!!'</em> thought Gray. <em>'Why am I still so weak?!'</em></p><p>  Suddenly, the heat of the flames began to diminish, causing Gray to gasp before he looked up... and to his astonishment, the fire looked as if it was being pulled away by something. That's when the Ice Wizard's eyes went wide as the realization began to hit him.</p><p>  "Oh, man..." he muttered. "If that's who I think it is... I'm in deep crap."</p><p>  Outside, Morgan and the rest of her thugs all gaped in disbelief as she saw someone standing over the cliffside... sucking up the fire!</p><p>  "Who in the hell is that?!" the gun-toting ringleader asked, just as the mysterious figure finished literally swallowing the flames and letting out a belch.</p><p>  "Ahh... that hit the spot," Natsu grinned as he wiped his mouth with a toothy smirk.</p><p>  "Oh, great..." Gray muttered, sarcastically as he came outside. "Just who I needed to see, right now: Dragon Boy."</p><p>  "Yeah, well, I'm not excited to see you, either, Ice Princess!" Natsu barked. "By the way... I noticed that I smelled Haru's scent along with yours." He then narrowed his eyes. "My little sis better be all right or you're asking for a pummeling!!"</p><p>  Gray visibly tensed as the Dragon Slayer slid down the ridge before leaping off and facing Morgan and her gang, who all gasped at his sudden entrance.</p><p>  "Who the hell is that guy?!" asked one of Morgan's thugs.</p><p>  "Who cares?!" asked Morgan. "He's just another Fairy Tail fly! SHOOT HIM!!"</p><p>  The smugglers soon fired their guns at Natsu, who grinned before he took in another breath, causing the flames around the bullet to go into his mouth, much to their shock.</p><p>  "What the hell?!" Morgan questioned. "Who is this freak?!"</p><p>  "Ahh... not bad!" Natsu grinned. "Now I got a fire in my belly!" He then set his right fist on fire.</p><p>  "Uhh... boss?!" asked one of Morgan's goons with a trembling voice. "Maybe we should get outta here!!"</p><p>  "Uhh... yeah, maybe you're right, for once!" Morgan replied, just as nervous.</p><p>  "Not so fast!!" Gray shouted as he slammed both his hands to the ground. "Ice-Make: FLOOR!!"</p><p>  In no time flat, he froze the ground solid, causing Morgan and her remaining goons to slip and fall.</p><p>  "They're all yours, now, Natsu!" Gray called out. "Go to town!"</p><p>  "With pleasure!" Natsu shouted as he sprung forward. "Fire Dragon... IRON FIST!!!"</p><p>  "NO, WAIT!!" Morgan cried, but it was too late, for Natsu soon thrust his fist forward, sending a jet of flames at her and her remaining gang of smugglers, causing them to scream as the bazooka that Morgan proudly brandished was reduced to nothing but scrap metal... not mention their bodies ended up getting badly burned. Natsu smirked as he blew some smoke off his fist while Morgan lied on the ground, groaning from both the shock and from the pain while around her and her defeated thugs, most of the trees and rocks had been reduced to cinders.</p><p>  "Well, that takes care of that," said Natsu as he dusted off his hands.</p><p>  "I could have finished them off, too," Gray began, "but... thanks, anyway... I guess."</p><p>  "Oh, please, they were mopping the floor with you!" Natsu argued. "If I hadn't shown up, you would have been toast!"</p><p>  "I don't remember asking you to come to help me, anyway!!" Gray snapped.</p><p>  "Hey, Natsu!"</p><p>  Natsu turned, only for his eyes to go wide as he saw Lucy come out of the partially destroyed farmhouse, holding a now fully conscious Haru while Happy sat on her shoulder and Blue Fang stood behind them.</p><p>  "Ugh... hey... Natsu," Haru greeted as she weakly forced a smile. "How's it going?"</p><p>  "It looks like Haru's hurt," Lucy said.</p><p>  "Aye, look at these bandages!" Happy added while Gray grimaced. As for Natsu, he turned and glared at the Ice Wizard before crossing his arms.</p><p>  "So, then, Icicle," said the Fire Dragon Slayer in a deep, almost threatening tone. "Ya wanna tell me why my little sister's in bandages before I kick your ass to Kingdom Come?"</p><p>  "...Shit..." Gray cursed, silently.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Headed Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Haru explains to Natsu how she got injured in the first place, thus absolving Gray of blame. As the group heads back home to Magnolia, it is soon revealed that Morgan might be involved with more than she bargained for.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima</p><p>Story and OCs © Me</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  "So THAT'S what happened, huh?" Natsu asked as he stood in front of Haru, who was standing between him and a surprised Gray, who had put his jacket back on... even though it was slightly singed. Lucy stood nearby with Blue Fang and Happy, watching the scene in concern.</p><p>  "Yes, Natsu," Haru replied. "Please... don't be mad at Gray. I know you two kinda have it out for each other, but it wasn't his fault I got hurt! I pushed him out of the way!"</p><p>  Natsu just stood quietly, his arms crossed and his brow furrowed as a scowl marred his features, seeming unconvinced.</p><p>  "Natsu, please," Haru said. "I mean... if it were you, wouldn't you have done the same thing?"</p><p>  Natsu didn't answer, at first... until he looked over at Gray, who stared back at him with his hands shoved down his pockets. Though it was subtle, he could make a somewhat remorseful look in his eyes... before the Dragon Slayer sighed.</p><p>  "...Yeah...I guess I would have done the same thing," he admitted. "I mean... I may hate your guts, Gray, but even I don't have it in me to let ya die."</p><p>  "Well, that's very reassuring," Gray replied.</p><p>  "So... you won't beat Gray up, this time," Haru said. "You won't... right, Natsu?"</p><p>  "Yeah, you're not gonna beat him up this time, right?" Lucy asked.</p><p>  "...Tch!" Natsu sucked his teeth. "Fine! No, I'm not gonna beat up the stripper, at least not this time."</p><p>  "Thank you, Natsu!" Haru replied as she hugged her brother, who smiled at her as he returned her embrace while Gray heaved a quiet sigh of relief.</p><p>  "See?" Lucy asked. "All's well that ends well!"</p><p>  "Aye!" Happy agreed while Blue Fang barked, also agreeing.</p><p>  "D'ya hear that, Ice Princess?" asked Natsu. "You're off the hook... for now." He then narrowed his eyes. "So you better be careful, 'cuz the next time my little sis gets hurt on your watch, you better watch your butt 'cuz I'll be roastin' it, and next time, Haru won't be around to help you!"</p><p>  "Natsu," Haru chided.</p><p>  "It's okay, Haru," Gray replied. "I understand... if Haru gets hurt next time she and I go on a job, together, you can go to town on me if you want, Natsu."</p><p>  "Good," Natsu said as he punched his fist into his hand while Haru sighed in indignation.</p><p>  "Oh, well," she muttered. "At least I stopped Natsu from killing him."</p><p>  "Well, I'm glad you're okay, at least," said Lucy as she walked up and hugged Haru, but gently so as not to hurt her any further.</p><p>  "Aye, me, too!" Happy said. "I'm glad you're okay, Haru!"</p><p>  Blue Fang barked before he licked Haru on her face, causing her to laugh as she wiped the slobber from her face.</p><p>  "Thanks, guys," Haru replied.</p><p>  "Come on, let's go home," Natsu said as he began to walk. "Magnolia shouldn't be too far from here."</p><p>  Soon, the group of six began to make their way back home on the open trail with Haru and Lucy sitting on Blue Fang's back while Natsu and Gray walked.</p><p>  "...Hey, I just realized something," Gray spoke. "Since the one who hired us turned out to be the bad guy..."</p><p>  Haru gasped in realization before she sighed in despair. "That means we can't get our reward...!" She then gave a whine. "Man, this sucks!"</p><p>  "Oh, man, you guys didn't get a reward, either?" Lucy asked as she put her hand on her shoulder in consolation.</p><p>  "Turns out we ended up helping someone who didn't have enough money to give us a reward," Happy piped up.</p><p>  "Ah, don't sweat it, sis," Natsu replied. "There's always tomorrow!"</p><p>  "Yeah, too bad I'll probably be out of work for a day or two," said Haru.</p><p>  "Ah, easy come, easy go, they say," Gray shrugged before he glanced over at the lamenting Haru... then he reached over and put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to glance over at him and see that he had a small smile on his face.</p><p>  "Thanks, Haru," Gray said.</p><p>  "You, too, Gray," Haru replied. "Thanks for protecting me."</p><p>  As they continued to make the journey home... back in the forest, Morgan groaned as she forced herself to stand. As she did, though, she noticed two legs in front of her, causing her to gasp silently before she raised her head up... and saw a young man with black hair that was tied up in a spiky topknot. He had on a white jacket with this intricate marking on the back over a dark red shirt, and a pair of aquamarine pants. His eyes were closed and he had this polite grin on his face.</p><p>  "Well, well," he said. "If it isn't my dear friend, Morgan?"</p><p>  "K... Kageyama...!" Morgan stammered, her whole body trembling.</p><p>  "I went to go and meet you at our usual place," the man, Kageyama, replied, "but it seems that the old clock tower was destroyed... along with some of your wares." He then noticed the destroyed bazooka on the ground. "From what I heard, though... it seemed you were willing to take some of your merchandise for yourself."</p><p>  "N-no! I wasn't!" Morgan cried. "I can explain! I just-"</p><p>  "No need," Kageyama replied. "We've been talking about you, lately... and we decided that we don't need you anymore, Morgan." He then held up... a wooden flute with an eerie-looking skull with three eye sockets, causing Morgan to gasp in horror.</p><p>  "No... it can't be...!" she whispered. "Lullaby?!"</p><p>  Kageyama grinned before he put the flute to his lips.</p><p>  "No! No, please! Not that!!" Morgan cried. "ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!"</p><p>  Soon after, there was this ominous tune that filled the air... and suddenly, Morgan dropped to the ground, lying eerily still while Kageyama stood over her.</p><p>  "Sweet dreams... forever..." Kageyama said with a dark chuckle.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, there's the end of that one! Now, I might do a version of the Lullaby Arc, but it's different from most renditions. I MIGHT do one. We'll see.</p><p>Hope you enjoyed!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just so we're clear this is NOT an OC/Gray ship story. I just wanted to showcase the relationships that Haru has with other guild members, that's all.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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